Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-11-30
THE CANAL QUESTION.


n ajOr Mackenzie's Plan for the Rap !
ids ImprOvement---A Document OF
Interest and Importance,
The lateral canal project-the proposed
of the upper rapids-has
been discussed to greater or less degree
in the ARGUS since the subject was re-
vived during the past few days. 1t so
happens that the government figures are
at hand which show the cost of improve
ment of the rapids to an extent permit
ting"a depth of six feet below low water"
In March. 1890, congress adopted
resolution calling upon the war depart
ment for an estimate of the expense OF
the proposed widening and deepening OF
the steamboat channel in the upper rap>
ids. The chief engineers directed Major
Mackenzie to furnish the Information
and he did So Is is report that is very |
interesting in view of the project so re-
Gently described
Major Mackenzie's report stated that |
the upper rapids cover distance Of
fourteen miles of the Mississippi river. |
The river over this reach consists of |
succession of deep pools separated by |
chains OF rocks, through which the water, |
in the course of centuries, has cut irreg- |
ular channels. The fall from the head to |
the foot of the rapids is twenty feet Civ
ing velocity of current of from two to |
ten feet per second at the shoal places.
Previous to Improvement, the rapids
could be passed by the larger class of
steamboats, at a two foot stage. and at a
medium stage boats drawing from three
to four feet could only pass on calm days
and by using extreme caution. Congress
caused a survey and report on the i'm
provement of the rapids to be made in
| 1866. In 1867 the work of excavation
| was commenced in accordance with a
| plan which was to give channel over
| the chains 200 feet wide, with depth of
| four feet below low water OF 1864 From
81 to so inclusive, S1,150,65O were APP
propriated, for which sum 10000 cubic
yards Of rock were removed, and the plan
was virtually completed. The work
greatly benefited navigation, but still
difficulties were met with, and about
$500. 900 has been expended since Chat
is up to the present daIe) in further les
SEEMING of dangerous chains.
In the report of 1880, MAJOR McKen-
zie speaks of the difficulties which the
action proposed by congress would
remedy. The width OF 200 fest is not
sufficient, is not enough, to admit of two
boats with harges passing each other, so
that either the descending or ascending
boat must wait in one Of the deep pools
until the other has passed through cut;
fresh breeze, acting against the very
long and high Mississippi steamers, en-.
dangers, and a strong wind prohibits
navigation through the barrow channels
a large steamer ascending the rapid:
through the comparatively narrow 200
foot channels draws down the water tt
such an extent as to materially reduce thu
depth in cuts, so that four-foot channe
| is not really available at all parts OF thu
rapids during low water stage of tn
river. The Major states that the mos
available plan is to widen the presen
cuts, giving new channel 400 feet il
width, By this widening the difticultie
named would be done away with. TIL
expense is stated by Major Mckenzie; t
increase the width of the channel to 10
feet, giving a depth of ~ feet belo'
low water-will require the removal {
205, 81 cubic yards of rock, and will co:
approximately s1,25S. S66.
The major then adds that boats draw
ing five feet of water can pass throug
the Keokuk canal during extreme 10
water. If it is deemed advisable to giS
the same available depth over the Roc
Island rapids the cuts should be mac
400 feet wide, and excsvsted to dep
of six feet below low water of 1856
This would require the removal of 5sl
S35 cubic yards of rock, which won
cost approximately $3,491, 010. T.
cost of removing the rock is estimated
Sc per cubic yard. Major Mckenzie tn,
states that the interests of navigation 7
quire that in time all this proposed wo
shall be done, but as the obstructio
of the upper rapids are made up of su
cession of shoals. the improvement
each may be considered separate, col
plete within itself and benefiting navie
ton so much
= Such is the report of the expense
improving the upper rapids channel tt
width of 400 feet and depth of six ft
made by Major Mckenzie nearly els
years ago. GU see tudl Willie Tic P
posed canal will improve the navigati
for half the distance of the rapids, c
bracing lockage and other delays, e
bracing an expense of 81 900, 900 at les
Major McKenzie's plan will give
rapids channel the entire length del
of six feet and width of 400 feet a
cost of at least $500, 600 less That
port of 1880 seems to rise like bar
in front of the canal project
. The Champion Clothes Washer.
The attention of the readers of
Argos is called to the advertiser